Closer element for building wall structures



Sept. 26, 1967 w; TISCHUK CLOSER ELEMENT FOR BUILDING WALL STRUCTURES 2SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 13, 1965v I NVENTOR.

WALTER T/SCHUK Sept; 26, 1967 w. TISCHUK CLOSER ELEMENT FOR BUILDINGWALL STRUCTURES Filed July is, 1965 I V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WALTER 77s (IA/UK BY United States Patent 3,343,312 CLOSER ELEMENT FURBUILDING WALL STRUCTURES Walter Tischuk, Richmond, Ind., assignor to H.H.

Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania FiledJuly 13, 1965, Ser. No. 471,556 4 Claims. (Cl. 52-94) This inventionrelates to closer elements, and more particularly to improvements incloser elements adapted for use with building wall structures having anon-planar exposed surface.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved closerelement which is adaptable for use with building walls having non-planarexposed surfaces of various configurations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved closer elementwhich prevents the ingress of debris into the interior of the building.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved closerelement which may be quickly and easily installed on the wall of abuilding, said closer element requiring only a single fastener for itsinstallation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide closer elementswhich have no visible fasteners when installed in side-by-side relationon a building wall.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved closerelement which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which givesthe wall a finished and an 30 attactive appearance.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an essentially flatplanar surface for securing fia'shings to a building wall which isitself essentially non-planar.

In accordance with the present invention, a closer element is providedwhich is adapted for use with a building wall having a non-planarexposed surface including, for example, spaced, outwardly presented ribelements and concave surfaces connecting the rib elements. The presentcloser element comprises a first central portion which extends between apair of adjacent rib elements and a second central portion which extendstoward the concave surface disposed between the pair of rib elements.The inner edge of the second central portion is positioned closelyadjacent to the concave surface and is shaped to correspond with theconcavity of the concave surface.

The opposite ends of the first central portion are provided with anarrow tongue member and a wide tonguemember. The wide tongue member hasa receiving aperture or slot adapted to receive the narrow tongue memberof an adjacent closer element. A single fastener is required forsecuring each wide tongue member to the nonplanar exposed surface in theregion of the rib elements.

As will become apparent, both the wide tongue member and the narrowtongue member are displaced in the direc tion of the second centralportion whereby all of the first central portions reside in a commonplane extending parallel to the wall. Furthermore, the closer element isarranged such that all of the tongue members as well as all of thefasteners are hidden from view. The resulting assembly presents theappearance of a single band of metal extending parallel with the planeof the wall and a plurality of inwardly extending portions whose inneredges are shaped to correspond with the concavity of the concavesurfaces of the wall.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a building wall structureincorporating a plurality of the closer elements of the presentinvention;

. trating the installation of the closer element of FIG. 5 on a buildingwall structure.

Typical wall structure Reference is now directed to FIG. 1 wherein thereis illustrated -a generally vertical wal structure 10 secured to askeletal framework 12, of which only girts 14 are visible. The wallstructure 10 projects upwardly from a curb 16 and terminates at a sofiit18 disposed at the roof line.

In general, the wall structure 10 has a non-planar exposed surface 20including spaced, outwardly presented elements or ribs 22 and concavesurfaces 24 connecting the ribs 22. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the wallstructure 10 may comprise a plurality of liner sheets 26 secured to theskeletal framework 12; a plurality of channel members or subgirts 28(only one visible) secured to overlapped wall portions 30 of the linersheets 26; batts of insulation 31 disposed within the liner sheets 26;and a plurality of facing sheets 32 secured to the subgirts 28. Each ofthe facing sheets 32 comprises spaced side wall 34, 36 connected bymeans of a concave, generaly V-shaped, web portion 38. The facing sheets32 are erected in side-by-side abutted relation wherein the side wall34, 36 of adjacent facing sheets 32 are abutted. The adjacent facingsheets 32 are interconnected by means of a male and female lipconnection 40.

It should be evident that in the wall structure 10 of FIG. 4, theexposed faces of the facing sheets 32, taken as a whole, correspond tothe aforesaid non-planar exposed surface 20; the abutted side walls 34,36 correspond to the aforesaid outwardly presented ribs 22; and theV-shaped web portions 38 correspond to the aforesaid concave surfaces 24connecting the ribs 22.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be seen that beneath the sofirt 18there'is provided a plurality of closer ele-- ments 42 which'areconstructed in accordance with the present invention. The closerelements 42 close the space as a whole, give the wall structure 10 afinished and an attractive appearance.

A A Closer element 42 The closer element 42 is preferably formed from alight gauge metal sheet, such as aluminum or stainless steel.Alternatively, the closer element 42 may be formed from any othersuitable material such as plastics and may, if desired, have its exposedsurfaces provided with a finish which matches or contrasts with thefacing sheets of the wall on which it is to be installed.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the closer element 42 comprises firstand second central portions 44, 46 which are substantially mutuallyperpendicular. The closer element 42 is formed from a metal sheet 47having a thickness t. At one end of the first central portion 44 there Iis provided a narrow tongue member 48 which is displaced in thedirection of the second central portion 46 first central portion 44there is provided a wide tongue member 50 having an opening 52 forreceiving a fastener, as will be described. As illustrated in FIG. 3,the wide tongue member 50 is also displaced in the direction of thesecond central portion 46 by more than twice the thickness of the metalsheet 47. A web 54 connects the wide tongue member to the first centralportion 44 and is provided with a receiving aperture or slot 56 which isadapted to receive a narrow tongue member of an adjacent closer element.

The second central portion 46 has an inner edge 58 which, in thisinstance, has a shape corresponding to the concavity of the concavesurfaces 24 of the wall structure 10. That is to say, the inner edge 58has the same V- shape as the web portion 38 of the facing sheets 32. Inthis embodiment of the closer element 42, the wide tongue member 50includes a first portion 50a which extends parallel to the first centralportion 44 and a second portion 50b which is inclined inwardly of thefirst portion 50a in the same direction as the second central portion46.

Installation of closer element 42 Referring now to FIG. 4, three closerelements 42A, 42B and 42C are shown secured to the facing sheets 32while a fragment of a fourth closer element 42D is shown positioned tobe installed. When installed, the first central portions 44 extendbetween the side walls 34, 36 while the second central portions 46extend inwardly toward the web portions 38 and have their inner edges 58positioned closely adjacent to the exposed face of the web portions 38.

The closer element 42C, for example, was installed by inserting thenarrow tongue member 48 thereof into the receiving aperture (notvisible) provided in the wide tongue member 50 of the closer element42B. The wide tongue member 50 of the closer element 42C was thensecured to the web portion 58 in the region of the side walls 34, 36 bymeans of a single fastener 60.

It should be noted that the wide tongue members 50 as well as all of thefasteners 60 are disposed behind the first central portions 44 andtherefore, are hidden from view. It is also to be noted that the inwarddisplacement of the narrow tongue members 48 and the wide tongue members50 is such that all of the first central portions 44 of the closerelements 42A, 42B and 42C reside in substantially the same plane therebygiving the appearance of a single band of metal extending across thewall structure 10. The side-by-side assembly of the first centralportions 42 provides an essentially planar surface to which flashingmaterials may be readily secured. Still further, since the inner edges58 of the second central portions 46 are positioned closely adjacent tothe web portions 38 of the facing sheets 32, the second central portions46 prevent the ingress of debris into the interior of the building.

Present closer element-alternative configuration As stated above, thepresent closer element is adaptable for use with building wallstructures having a variety of non-planar exposed surfaces.

Reference is now directed to FIG. 5 wherein there is illustrated aclosed element 42 which is adapted for use with a wall structure whoseconcave surfaces have an arcuate configuration. The closed element 42'is similar to the closer element illustrated in FIG. 2 and, therefore,corresponding numerals will be employed to identify corresponding partsheretofore described.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the closer element 42' is formed from ametal sheet 47 having a thickness t and comprises first and secondcentral portions 44, 46 which are substantially mutually perpendicular.A narrow tongue member 48 is provided at one end of the first centralportion 44 while a wide tongue member 50 is provided at the opposite endthereof. The narrow tongue member 48 is displaced in the direction ofthe second central portion 46 by approximately a thickness of the metalsheet 47. The wide tongue member 50 is displaced in the direction of thesecond central portion 46 by considerably more than twice the thicknessof the metal sheet 47. The wide tongue member 50 is provided with anopening 52 for receiving a fastener, as will be described. A web 54connects the wide tongue member 50 to the first central portion 44 andis provided with a receiving aperture or slot 56 adapted to receive anarrow tongue member of an adjacent closer element 42'. In thisinstance, the wide tongue member 50 extends parallel with the firstcentral portion 44.

The second central portion 46 has an arcuate inner edge 62 whose shape,as will be described, corresponds with the curvature of an inwardlybowed sheet employed in a wall structure illustrated in FIG. 7. Thesecond central portion 46 has an end portion thereof cut away to providean inset shoulder 64 which is adapted to rest on the outer surface ofthe wide tongue member 50 of an adjacent one of the closer elements 42'.

Installation of closer element 42 Reference is now directed to FIG. 7wherein there is illustrated a building wall structure indicatedgenerally by the numeral 66. The building wall structure 66 is similarto the wall structure 10 and includes liner sheets 26 secured to theskeletal framework 12; a plurality of channel members or subgirts 28(only one visible) secured to overlapped wall portions 30 of the linearsheets 26; and batts of insulation 31 disposed within the liner sheets26. The building wall structure 66 differs from the wall structure 10 inthat the non-planar exposed surface thereof is provided by a pluralityof spaced, outwardly presented vertical mullions 68 and a plurality ofinwardly bowed facing sheets 70 of metal or plastic. Each of thevertical mullions 68 includes spaced flanges 72 which are secured to thesubgirts 28, longitudinally extending sheet edge receiving grooves 74and a fiat outboard crest 76. Each of the facing sheets 70 has itsopposed longitudinal edges residing within the grooves 74 of adjacentvertical mullions 68. The facing sheets 70 are inwardly bowed alongtheir central portion during installation and when released, assume thearch shape illustrated in FIG. 7. The facing sheets 70 are formed fromessentially flat sheets of metal or plastic and when installed in thewall structure 66, they tend to regain their normally flat configurationthereby forcing their opposed longitudinal edges into the grooves 74.This tendency to flatten out, retains the facing sheets 70 betweenadjacent ones of the mullions 68.

It should be evident that in the wall structure 66 of FIG. 7, theexposed surfaces of the facing sheets 70 and the flat outboard crests76, taken as a whole, correspond to the aforesaid non-planar exposedsurface 20; the vertical mullions 68 correspond to the aforesaidoutwardly presented ribs 22; and the inwardly bowed facing sheets 70correspond to the aforesaid concave surfaces 24 connecting the ribs 22.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, two closer elements 42A and 42B are secured tothe wall structure 66 while a third closer element 42C is positioned tobe installed on the wall structure 66. The installation of the closerelement 42B, for example, is accomplished by inserting the narrow tonguemember 48 thereof into the receiving aperture (not visible) provided inthe closer element 42'A. The wide tongue member 50 of the closer element42B is then engaged with a flat outboard crest 76 of an adjacentvertical mullion 68 and secured thereto by means of a single fastener78. It will be noted that the inset shoulder 64 provided on the secondcentral portion 46 of the closer element 42B is engaged with the widetongue member 50 of the closer element 42A and therefore serves as aspacer member. It will be noted that the inner edge 62 of the closerelement 42B is positioned closely adjacent to the exposed face of theinwardly bowed facing sheet 70. Consequently, the second central portion46 again serves to prevent ingress of debris into the interior of thebuilding.

Although the invention has been shown in connection with certainspecific embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art that various changes in form and arrangement of parts may bemade to suit requirements without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. In this respect, it should be apparent that the presentcloser element may also be installed on building wall structures whereinthe concave surfaces and ribs are horizontal. Furthermore, the inneredge of the second central portion 46 may have a shape other than theV-shape and arcuate shape specifically illustrated herein.

I claim as my invention:

1. A closer element adapted for use with a generally vertical wall,having a non-planar exposed surface including spaced, outwardlypresented vertical elements and concave surfaces connecting saidvertical elements, comprising:

a facing sheet having a vertical portion extending between said verticalelements and having a horizontal portion extended toward said wall, saidhorizontal portion corresponding in its edge with the concavity of saidconcave surfaces;

a narrow tongue member extending from one vertical edge of said verticalportion and being displaced in the direction of said horizontal portionby approximately a thickness of said facing sheet;

a wide tongue member extending from the opposite vertical edge of saidvertical portion and being displaced in the direction of said horizontalportion by more than twice the thickness of said facing sheet;

said Wide tongue member having a receiving aperture adapted to receive anarrow tongue member of an adjacent one of said closer elements; and

fastener means for securing said wide tongue member to said wall in theregion of said vertical elements, said fastener means being hidden fromview by a said vertical portion of an adjacent one of said closerelements.

2. A closer element adapted for use with a generally vertical Wall,having a plurality of spaced, outwardly presented vertical elements andinwardly bowed sheets extending between said vertical elements andpresenting an arcuate concave surface, comprising:

a facing sheet having a vertical portion extended between said verticalelements and having a horizontal portion extended toward said wall, saidhorizontal portion having an arcuate inboard edge corresponding in shapewith the arcuate concave surface of said inwardly bowed sheets;

a narrow tongue member extending from one vertical edge of said verticalportion and being displaced in the direction of said horizontal portionby approximately a thickness of said facing sheet;

a wide tongue member extending from the opposite vertical edge of saidvertical portion and being displaced in the direction of said horizontalportion by approximately twice the thickness of said facing sheet;

said wide tongue member having a receiving aperture adapted to receive anarrow tongue member of an adjacent one of said closer elements; and

fastener means for securing said wide tongue member to said verticalelements, said fastener means being hidden from view by a said verticalportion of an adjacent one of said closer elements.

3. A closer element adapted for use with a generally vertical wallformed from a plurality of facing sheets disposed in side-by-sideabutted relation and including spaced, outwardly presented vertical sidewalls and inwardly bent generally V-shaped central portions presentingV-shaped concave surfaces, comprising:

a facing sheet having a vertical portion extended between said sidewalls and having a horizontal portion extended toward said wall, saidhorizontal portion having a V-shaped inner edge corresponding with theV-shaped concave surface of said central portion;

a narrow tongue member extending from one vertical edge of said verticalportion and being displaced in the direction of said horizontal portionby approximately a thickness of said facing sheet;

a wide tongue member extending from the opposite vertical edge of saidvertical portion and being displaced in the direction of said horizontalportion by approximately twice the thickness of said facing sheet;

said wide tongue member having a receiving aperture adapted to receive anarrow tongue member of an adjacent one of said closer elements; and

fastener means for securing said wide tongue member to one of saidcentral portions adjacent to one of said side walls, said fastener meansbeing hidden from view by a said vertical portion of an adjacent one ofsaid closer elements.

4. In a building wall structure having a non-planar exposed surfaceincluding spaced, outwardly presented ribs and concave surfacesconnecting said ribs, and having closer means extending along at leastone exposed edge surface of said wall structure for closing and therebyfinishing said exposed edge surface, the improvement in said closer;means comprising:

a first central portion extending between adjacent ribs;

a second central portion extending toward said concave surfaces andcorresponding in its edge with the concavity of said concave surfaces;

a wide tongue member extending from one end of said first centralportion;

said wide tongue member being provided with a receiving aperture;

a narrow tongue member extending from the opposite end of said firstcentral portion through a said receiving aperture of an adjacent one ofsaid closer means to interlock adjacent ones of said closer means;

said wide tongue members and said narrow tongue members being displacedin the direction of said second central portion whereby said firstcentral portion of all of said closer means reside in substantially thesame plane; and

fastener means for securing each of said wide tongue members to saidnon-planar exposed surface of said wall structure, all of said fastenermeans being hidden from view by a said first central portion of anadjacent one of said closer means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,641,340 6/ 1953 Howe 52-943,205,631 9/1965 Harris 52-588 3,229,436 1/1966 Gerhart 52-521 3,236,0112/1966 Orr 52-96 FOREIGN PATENTS 155,371 1954 Australia.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner.

R. A. STENZEL, AssistmntExaminer.

4. IN A BUILDING WALL STRUCTURE HAVING A NON-PLANAR EXPOSED SURFACEINCLUDING SPACED, OUTWARDLY PRESENTED RIBS AND CONCAVE SURFACESCONNECTING SAID RIBS, AND HAVING CLOSER MEANS EXTENDING ALONG AT LEASTONE EXPOSED EDGE SURFACE OF SAID WALL STRUCTURE FOR CLOSING AND THEREBYFINISHING SAID EXPOSED EDGE SURFACE, THE IMPROVEMENT IN SAID CLOSERMEANS COMPRISING: A FIRST CENTRAL PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN ADJACENTRIBS; A SECOND CENTRAL PORTION EXTENDING TOWARD SAID CONCAVE SURFACESAND CORRESPONDING IN ITS EDGE WITH THE CONCAVITY OF SAID CONCAVESURFACES; A WIDE TONGUE MEMBER EXTENDING FROM ONE END OF SAID FIRSTCENTRAL PORTION; SAID WIDE TONGUE MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A RECEIVINGAPERTURE; A NARROW TONGUE MEMBER EXTENDING FROM THE OPPOSITE END OF SAIDFIRST CENTRAL PORTION THROUGH A SAID RECEIVING APERTURE OF AN ADJACENTONE OF SAID CLOSER MEANS TO INTERLOCK ADJACENT ONES OF SAID CLOSERMEANS; SAID WIDE TONGUE MEMBERS AND SAID NARROW TONGUE MEMBERS BEINGDISPLACED IN THE DIRECTION OF SAID SECOND CENTRAL PORTION WHEREBY SAIDFIRST CENTRAL PORTION OF ALL OF SAID CLOSER MEANS RESIDE INSUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE; AND FASTENER MEANS FOR SECURING EACH OFSAID WIDE TONGUE MEMBERS TO SAID NON-PLANAR EXPOSED SURFACE OF SAID WALLSTRUCTURE, ALL OF SAID FASTENER MEANS BEING HIDDEN FROM VIEW BY A SAIDFIRST CENTRAL PORTION OF AN ADJACENT ONE OF SAID CLOSER MEANS.